Guide device for an automatic device for cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid

ABSTRACT

An automatic device for cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid, includes a body able to move in a substantially linear manner along the immersed surface and a cylindrical sleeve connected to the body including an inlet and an outlet through which the liquid is ejected when the cleaning device is operating. The device further includes:
         a) a first orifice on one of the lateral faces of the sleeve; and   b) elements for selectively covering the first orifice so as:
           i) to cover the first orifice when the body is moving in a substantially linear manner along the immersed surface; and   ii) not to cover the first orifice when the body is immobilized and can no longer move in a substantially linear manner along the immersed surface.

The present invention relates to an automatic device for cleaning surfaces immersed in a liquid. The invention relates in particular to a cleaning device including means for orienting the cleaning device so that it does not remain immobilized against a wall, such as a swimming pool wall. The present invention also relates to the use of the above cleaning device.

As is known in the art, this kind of device for automatically cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid is used to clean and/or remove, “effortlessly” from the user's point of view, all types of debris, such as leaves, insects or diverse rubbish that may be found in a swimming pool during use, for example. One example of an automatic cleaning system of this kind is a swimming pool vacuum cleaner.

For cleaning to be effective without requiring too much effort of the user, it is necessary for the swimming pool vacuum cleaner to include a guide device adapted to cause it to move forwards automatically (rather than manually) and to free it if it becomes immobilized against a wall of the swimming pool, in order to enable the vacuum cleaner to move over all the bottom surface of the swimming pool to perform its cleaning operations. Consequently, it is desirable to have a vacuum cleaner that is as autonomous as possible.

Various swimming pool vacuum cleaner guide devices are known in the art.

In particular, Document WO 9922100 describes a guide device fastened to a submersible swimming pool vacuum cleaner to orient it more easily in order to move it away from positions in contact with the side walls of the swimming pool. That guide device includes elongate rods extending from a connector ring fastened to the flexible hose connector of the vacuum cleaner. Gears that are part of the vacuum cleaner connector drive the guide device and cause the ends of the rods, on coming into contact with a side wall of the swimming pool, to be raised and push the vacuum cleaner away from said side wall. The connector ring and consequently the rods may turn freely about a rotation axis of the connector, over a limited arc defined by the movement of a gear tooth between stops. The capacity of the rods to turn freely within this arc makes it possible to eliminate the problem of overdriving the vacuum cleaner because of the action of the guide device. Moreover, the rods extend radially outwards and downwards from the connector ring so that when they come into contact with a side wall of the swimming pool the tips of the rods effect a rack-like movement against the surface of those side walls, which produces an upward force acting on the vacuum cleaner and reducing the friction between the bottom surface of the swimming pool and the parts of the vacuum cleaner in contact with the pool floor, thus facilitating the rotation of the vacuum cleaner necessary for it to move over the bottom surfaces of the swimming pool to be cleaned.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,856 describes another solution for orienting and freeing a vacuum cleaner facing a wall. The guide device described includes a rudder system and a preferably curved resistance plate. That plate is connected to the rudder system by a cylinder that is adapted to abut against the rudder of the rudder system to lock it in a neutral position relative to the flow of water leaving the rudder system. In that position, the guide device enables the vacuum cleaner to move forwards along a straight line. If the vacuum cleaner encounters a wall and stops moving forwards, the resistance plate is no longer subjected to the water resistance induced by the movement, causing the plate to rebound slightly. The cylinder slides a short distance and releases the rudder, which is then able to move towards the left or towards the right, reorienting the vacuum cleaner to move it away from the wall.

However, the above mechanisms have the drawback of being fairly complex. Moreover the rods or the rudder are not protected and can be damaged relatively easily, causing the automatic guide system to malfunction or even stop.

An object of the present invention is to propose a new automatic device for cleaning an immersed surface that avoids some or all of the above-mentioned drawbacks.

To this end, the invention provides an automatic device for cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid, including a body able to move in a substantially linear manner along the immersed surface and a sleeve connected to said body including an inlet and an outlet through which the liquid is ejected when said cleaning device is operating, the device further including:

a) a first orifice on one of the lateral faces of said sleeve; and

b) means for selectively covering said first orifice so as:

-   -   i) to cover said first orifice when the body is moving in a         substantially linear manner along the immersed surface; and     -   ii) not to cover said first orifice when the body is immobilized         and can no longer move in a substantially linear manner along         the immersed surface.

By virtue of the features a) and b), the cleaning device is advantageously able to guide in linear manner an automatic cleaning system such as a swimming pool vacuum cleaner in which it is inserted or to cause it to pivot if it is immobilized by a wall.

The means for selectively covering said first orifice preferably include:

c) a resistance plate adapted to pivot relative to said sleeve; and

d) a cover connected to said resistance plate and adapted to cover or uncover said first orifice according to the pivoting of the resistance plate.

The present invention may equally relate to an automatic device for cleaning an immersed surface including:

i) a body including a liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet;

ii) a sleeve (pipe) of cylindrical section connected to said body and including a second liquid outlet via which the liquid is ejected along a path substantially parallel to the axis of the sleeve;

iii) a first orifice on one of the lateral faces of the sleeve through which the liquid is ejected along a path substantially perpendicular to said sleeve; and

iv) a resistance plate adapted to pivot relative to the sleeve and including means for selectively covering said first orifice.

The means for selectively covering said first orifice advantageously further include a float that enables the resistance plate to pivot relative to the sleeve.

According to one feature of the invention the resistance plate has the shape of an arc having a concave side that faces away from the outlet of the sleeve.

The means for selectively covering said first orifice are preferably connected to the sleeve by a shaft, said shaft and the outlet of the sleeve being situated on opposite sides of the center of buoyancy of the float.

The float advantageously adjoins the resistance plate on the outside of the arc and is disposed above said cover.

Said cleaning device preferably includes a first wall inside the sleeve adapted to direct liquid flowing through said sleeve towards said first orifice.

Said cleaning device advantageously includes a second orifice on a lateral face of the sleeve opposite that including the first orifice, the second orifice being smaller than the first orifice. In particular, the cleaning device includes a second wall inside the sleeve adapted to direct liquid flowing through said sleeve towards said second orifice.

According to another feature of the cleaning device the body includes a water inlet adapted to receive a liquid containing debris and filter means for separating the debris from the liquid and retaining only the debris.

Said cleaning device is preferably adapted to be connected to a pump and the body further includes an exhaust passage through which the liquid is ejected when said cleaning system is operating.

Said means for selectively covering said first orifice are advantageously at the outlet of said exhaust passage.

Said cleaning device further includes a connector part adapted to turn relative to the body about a vertical axis (X), the sleeve being fastened to said connector part so that it is able to rotate freely about a vertical axis X and relative to the vacuum cleaner body.

The present invention may further provide an automatic cleaning device for cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid, including a body and a sleeve connected to said body and via which the liquid is ejected when said cleaning device is operating, said cleaning device including:

i) a liquid inlet adapted to receive and to contain the liquid, such as swimming pool water, containing debris;

ii) means at least partially inside the body for separating the debris from the liquid and retaining said debris separated from the liquid;

iii) a first orifice on one of the lateral faces of the sleeve; and

iv) means for selectively covering said first orifice.

An aim of the invention is to use said cleaning device having any of the above features for cleaning immersed surfaces of a swimming pool, such as the bottom.

Finally, the present invention may further provide a guide device for an automatic system for cleaning immersed surfaces adapted to be moved by a water jet, characterized in that it includes a cylindrical sleeve adapted to have the water jet pass through it and having on one of its lateral faces a hole, a pivot system including a resistance plate, a float, and a cover, the resistance plate being adapted to cause the pivot system to pivot in a first direction so that the cover covers said hole, and the float being adapted to cause the pivot system to pivot in a second direction opposite the first direction so that the cover frees said hole and the liquid leaving via said hole drives rotation of the sleeve.

The resistance plate preferably has the shape of an arc having a concave side that faces away from an outlet of the sleeve.

In particular, the pivot system is connected to the cylindrical sleeve by a shaft, said shaft being on the opposite side of the center of buoyancy of the float to the outlet of the sleeve.

The float advantageously adjoins the resistance plate on the side outside the arc and is above said cover.

The guide device preferably includes a wall inside the sleeve adapted to direct the liquid passing through said sleeve towards said first hole.

The present invention further provides an automatic cleaning device for cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid, adapted to be connected to a pump and including a body including an exhaust passage via which the liquid is ejected when said cleaning system is operating, said cleaning device being characterized in that it includes a guide device as described above at the outlet of said exhaust passage.

The cleaning device preferably further includes a connector part adapted to turn relative to the body about a vertical axis (X), said guide device being fastened to said connector part so that the cylindrical sleeve is able to rotate freely about the vertical axis X relative to the body of the vacuum cleaner.

The invention can be better understood and other objects, details, features, and advantages of the invention become more clearly apparent in the course of the following description of one particular embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting illustration only and with reference to the appended drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a profile view of an automatic cleaning device of the present invention including means for selectively covering a first orifice;

FIG. 2 is a profile view to a larger scale of the means shown in FIG. 1 for selectively covering a first orifice in a second inclined position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view partly in section of the means shown in FIG. 1 for selectively covering a first orifice in a first inclined position;

FIG. 4 is a plan view in section of the means shown in FIG. 1 for selectively covering a first orifice, also in the first inclined position;

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the means shown in FIG. 1 for selectively covering a first orifice in the second inclined position; and

FIG. 6 is a profile view of the means shown in FIG. 3 for selectively covering a first orifice in the first inclined position and showing a second orifice.

FIG. 1 shows means for selectively covering a first orifice, referred to in the remainder of the description as guide means 1 (because they make it possible to reorient the cleaning device 100). These guide means are intended to be fastened to an automatic cleaning device 100 such as a swimming pool vacuum cleaner.

A swimming pool vacuum cleaner and its operation are briefly described before describing the guide device 1 in more detail.

Referring to FIG. 1, an automatic swimming pool vacuum cleaner 100 suited to the present invention includes a body 104 having a circular section wall and extending along a vertical axis. This body 104 is hollow. It has at its lower end a base 102 including one or more aspiration orifices (not visible in FIG. 1) and at its upper end a circular water aspiration orifice 105 coaxial with the cylindrical section of the body 104. This aspiration orifice 105 is connected to a flexible hose 106 via a connector 107 and the hose 106 is connected to a discharge outlet of the swimming pool. Moreover, between this hose 106 and the aspiration orifice 105 is the connector part 107 including a water exhaust passage 103. The water under pressure arrives via the hose 106. This pressure is created by the pump of the swimming pool filter system, which returns water to the swimming pool via the water return outlet to which the hose 106 is connected. The flow of water coming from the hose 106 is redirected in the connector 107 towards the exhaust passage 103. The water passes through a nozzle near the inlet of the exhaust passage, which creates a Venturi system: the water is accelerated by the jet, which aspirates more water via the orifice in the base 102. The connector 107 is further adapted to rotate freely relative to the body 104 about a vertical axis X. Finally, inside the hollow body 104, and more particularly between the aspiration orifices and the water outlet orifice 105, there is a filter (not shown) adapted to collect debris and impurities from the aspirated water. The filtered water is then ejected via the water exhaust passage 103. Furthermore, the body 104 of the vacuum cleaner may comprise castors 101 to hold the vacuum cleaner at a sufficient distance from the floor of the swimming pool to enable it to move and to enable efficient aspiration of impurities and other debris.

This vacuum cleaner 100 is driven by water pressure. To this end it is connected by the flexible hose 106 to a filtered water discharge outlet of the swimming pool (not shown). The pressure at which the water is discharged creates central turbulent aspiration through the Venturi effect, which produces a jet of water that moves the vacuum cleaner 100. The jet of water exits via the water exhaust outlet 103 of the vacuum cleaner 100. By means of the system referred to, the vacuum cleaner is thus able to move across the surface of a swimming pool. A swimming pool vacuum cleaner of this kind driven hydraulically by the swimming pool water recycling system is described in particular in U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,809 to Roumagnac, which is in the public domain.

The guide device 1 makes it possible to reorient and reposition the vacuum cleaner if it strikes a wall.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, this guide device 1 includes a cylindrical sleeve 2 to which a pivot system 3 is fastened by means of a shaft 11.

The cylindrical sleeve 2 has a first end 8 corresponding to the inlet of the sleeve 2 and a second end 9 corresponding to the outlet of the sleeve, the first end 8 being adapted to nest over the outlet of the exhaust passage 103 of the connector part 107. Given that the connector part is free to rotate relative to the body 104 about a vertical axis X, the sleeve 2, which is connected to the connector part by the passage 103, is also free to rotate relative to the body 104 of the cleaning system 100 about the axis X.

The water jet leaving the passage 103 of the vacuum cleaner 100 moves from the end 8 to the end 9 of the sleeve 2 and propels the vacuum cleaner 100, as explained above.

The sleeve 2 also has a first orifice 7 on one of its lateral faces. This first orifice 7 has a much smaller diameter than the inlet of the sleeve 2, i.e. its end 8.

There is also a wall 12 inside the sleeve 2, to be more precise at the location of the first orifice 7. This wall 12 is adapted to direct the liquid flowing through the sleeve 2 towards the first orifice 7. As described below, the first orifice 7 and the wall 12 have the function of causing the guide device 1 and the connector part to rotate about the axis X relative to the body 104.

This pivot system 3 has three parts, a resistance plate 4, a float 5, and a cover 6.

The resistance plate 4 is of arcuate shape with the concave side facing away from the outlet of the sleeve, i.e. its end 9. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, the interior of the arc shape of the resistance plate 4 is intended to face in the direction of movement of the vacuum cleaner 100 when it is working. Thus the resistance plate 4 faces into the flow of water.

The float 5 adjoins the resistance plate 4 on the outside of the arc; in other words, it is between the resistance plate 4 and the outlet (the end 9) of the sleeve. It is furthermore fastened to the resistance plate 4 by a clipping system 19, 10, as shown in FIG. 3.

The cover 6 is under this float 5 and also adjoining the resistance plate 4 on the outside of the arc. This takes the form of a hollow cylindrical half-sleeve of upper face that is secured to the float 5. Unlike the float, however, and by means of its half-sleeve shape, the cover 6 is adapted to cover but not to block the first orifice 7. In fact, the first orifice 7 is covered or not according to whether the pivot system 3 is subject to the action of the resistance plate 4 or that of the float 5.

Finally, this pivot system 3 is connected to the cylindrical sleeve 2 by a shaft 11. As shown in FIG. 2, this shaft 11 connects two ends of the resistance plate 4 to two ends of the sleeve 2, one on the face including the first orifice 7 and the other on the opposite face. The shaft 11 is in particular situated between the inlet of the sleeve 2 and the center of buoyancy of the float 5. The function of this shaft 11 is to enable the pivot system 3 to pivot between two positions, a first position in which the cover 6 covers the first orifice 7 of the sleeve 2 (arrow 14) and a second position in which the cover 6 no longer covers this first orifice 7 (arrow 13), but frees it (FIG. 2 position).

Referring to FIG. 6, the sleeve further includes a second orifice 15 on the lateral face opposite that including the first orifice 7. This second orifice 15 has a diameter less than that of the first orifice. It has been found that, with a single orifice, the vacuum cleaner tends to turn frequently by a small amount in the same direction when the vacuum cleaner moves over an immersed surface, which can also create a “memory” problem, with the hose 106 having a tendency to twist. The effect of this second orifice 15, in conjunction with a pressure regulator upstream of the hose 106, is to render movement more linear.

This variant of the sleeve includes a second wall 16 inside the sleeve adapted to direct the fluid passing through said sleeve towards the second orifice 15.

In a different variant, it is possible for the positions of the resistance plate 4 and the sleeve 2 to be interchangeable, to avoid the hose 106 suffering from the memory effect. In this variant, the sleeve is turned 180° and the resistance plate 4 is easily demounted from and remounted on the sleeve 2, on the face opposite that to which it was previously fastened, and still with its arcuate curvature facing away from the outlet of the sleeve 9. The vacuum cleaner will then turn in the other direction and the hose will suffer no memory effect. The user can perform this simple operation periodically.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, it is equally possible for the cover 6 and the float 5 to form a single part 5 bis that serves both as a float for raising the resistance plate and as a cover for uncovering or covering the first orifice 7.

This guide device 1 operates as follows.

As mentioned above, the swimming pool vacuum cleaner works and moves forwards by means of the hydraulic energy of the recycled water (emerging from the water discharge outlet) causing a jet of water to be ejected from the end 9 of the sleeve 2, propelling the cleaning system 100. Thus, when operating, the resistance plate 4 faces into the flow of water and exerts a greater force than the float 5 and so the pivot system is in the first position (arrow 14), in which the cover covers the orifice 7. The vacuum cleaner then advances in a substantially linear manner, propelled by the water jet leaving the end 9 of the sleeve 2.

If the vacuum cleaner encounters an obstacle, such as a wall or the steps of a swimming pool, the vacuum cleaner can no longer move forwards, no force is exerted on the resistance plate 4, and the force exerted by the float 5 becomes greater than that exerted by the resistance plate 4. Because of its buoyancy, the float 5 allows the pivot system to pivot into the second position (arrow 13), raising it and freeing the first orifice 7. The water jet leaving the outlet of the exhaust passage 103 of the vacuum cleaner 100 is consequently directed towards the first orifice 7, thanks also to the wall 12. The water jet leaving the orifice 7 causes the guide device 1 to rotate relative to the body 104 about the axis X, with the result that the flow leaving the end 9 of the sleeve is redirected. Redirected in this way, the vacuum cleaner is again subjected to the pressure of the water discharge inducing the Venturi effect and the water jet leaving the end 9 causes the vacuum cleaner 100 to move. The flow of water that impinges again on the resistance plate 4 causes the pivot system 3 to pivot towards its first position (arrow 14) and the cover again covers the orifice 7. Consequently, all the time it is working the guide device 1 alternates between these two positions, depending on whether the vacuum cleaner encounters an obstacle or not.

Although one particular embodiment of the invention has been described, it is clear that the invention is not limited to that embodiment and encompasses all technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations within the scope of the invention. 

1-23. (canceled)
 24. An automatic device for cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid, including a body able to move in a substantially linear manner along the immersed surface and a sleeve connected to said body including an inlet and an outlet through which the liquid is ejected when said cleaning device is operating, the device further including: a) a first orifice on one of the lateral faces of said sleeve; and b) means for selectively covering said first orifice so as: i) to cover said first orifice when the body is moving in a substantially linear manner along the immersed surface; and ii) not to cover said first orifice when the body is immobilized and can no longer move in a substantially linear manner along the immersed surface.
 25. A cleaning device according to claim 24, wherein the means for selectively covering said first orifice include: c) a resistance plate adapted to pivot relative to said sleeve; and d) a cover connected to said resistance plate and adapted to cover or uncover said first orifice according to the pivoting of the resistance plate.
 26. An automatic device for cleaning an immersed surface including: i) a body including a liquid inlet and a first liquid outlet; ii) a sleeve of cylindrical section connected to said body and including a second liquid outlet via which the liquid is ejected along a path substantially parallel to the axis of the sleeve; iii) a first orifice on one of the lateral faces of the sleeve through which the liquid is ejected along a path substantially perpendicular to said sleeve; and iv) a resistance plate adapted to pivot relative to the sleeve and including means for selectively covering said first orifice.
 27. A cleaning device according to claim 25, wherein the means for selectively covering said first orifice further include a float that enables the resistance plate to pivot relative to the sleeve.
 28. A cleaning device according to claim 25, wherein the resistance plate has the shape of an arc having a concave side that faces away from the outlet of the sleeve.
 29. A cleaning device according to claim 27, wherein the means for selectively covering said first orifice are connected to the sleeve by a shaft, said shaft and the outlet of the sleeve being situated on opposite sides of the center of buoyancy of the float.
 30. A cleaning device according to claim 27, wherein the float adjoins the resistance plate on the outside of the arc and is disposed above said cover.
 31. A cleaning device according to claim 24, including a first wall inside the sleeve adapted to direct liquid flowing through said sleeve towards said first orifice.
 32. A cleaning device according to claim 24, including a second orifice on a lateral face of the sleeve opposite that including the first orifice, the second orifice being smaller than the first orifice.
 33. A cleaning device according to claim 32, including a second wall inside the sleeve adapted to direct liquid flowing through said sleeve towards said second orifice.
 34. A cleaning device according to claim 24, wherein the body includes a water inlet adapted to receive a liquid containing debris and filter means for separating the debris from the liquid and retaining only the debris.
 35. A cleaning device according to claim 24 adapted to be connected to a pump, wherein the body further includes an exhaust passage through which the liquid is ejected when said cleaning system is operating.
 36. A cleaning device according to claim 34, wherein said means for selectively covering said first orifice are at the outlet of said exhaust passage.
 37. An automatic cleaning device according to claim 24, further including a connector part adapted to turn relative to the body about a vertical axis, the sleeve being fastened to said connector part so that it is able to rotate freely about a vertical axis and relative to the vacuum cleaner body.
 38. An automatic cleaning device for cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid, including a body and a sleeve connected to said body and via which the liquid is ejected when said cleaning device is operating, said cleaning device including: i) a liquid inlet adapted to receive and to contain the liquid, such as swimming pool water, containing debris; ii) means at least partially inside the body for separating the debris from the liquid and retaining said debris separated from the liquid; iii) a first orifice on one of the lateral faces of the sleeve; and iv) means for selectively covering said first orifice.
 39. Method of cleaning immersed surfaces of a swimming pool, which comprises moving the cleaning device according to claim 24 over the immersed surfaces.
 40. A guide device for an automatic system for cleaning immersed surfaces adapted to be moved by a water jet, including a cylindrical sleeve adapted to have the water jet pass through it and having on one of its lateral faces a hole, a pivot system including a resistance plate, a float, and a cover, the resistance plate being adapted to cause the pivot system to pivot in a first direction so that the cover covers said hole, and the float being adapted to cause the pivot system to pivot in a second direction opposite the first direction so that the cover frees said hole and the liquid leaving via said hole drives rotation of the sleeve.
 41. A guide device according to claim 40, wherein the resistance plate has the shape of an arc having a concave side that faces away from an outlet of the sleeve.
 42. A guide device according to claim 41, wherein the pivot system is connected to the cylindrical sleeve by a shaft, said shaft being on the opposite side of the center of buoyancy of the float to the outlet of the sleeve.
 43. A guide device according to claim 42, wherein the float adjoins the resistance plate on the side outside the arc and is above said cover.
 44. A guide device according to claim 39, including a wall inside the sleeve adapted to direct the liquid passing through said sleeve towards said first hole.
 45. An automatic cleaning device for cleaning a surface immersed in a liquid, adapted to be connected to a pump and including a body including an exhaust passage via which the liquid is ejected when said cleaning system is operating, wherein said cleaning device includes a guide device according to claim 39 disposed at the outlet of said exhaust passage.
 46. An automatic cleaning device according to claim 45, further including a connector part adapted to turn relative to the body about a vertical axis, said guide device being fastened to said connector part so that the cylindrical sleeve is able to rotate freely about the vertical axis relative to the body of the vacuum cleaner. 